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RickB- Human, Artist, Fool.

Ynys Mon, UK.

The blog is called ten percent because of what Kurt Vonnegut wrote when remembering Susan Sontag - She was asked what she had learned from the Holocaust, and she said that 10 percent of any population is cruel, no matter what, and that 10 percent is merciful, no matter what, and that the remaining 80 percent could be moved in either direction.-

And I'm writing it because I need the therapy and I lust for world domination.

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Eyewitness in Honduras

1 July, 2009 — RickB

Otto@ Inca Kola News posted this, please go there for more posts on Honduras, what I found very interesting and alarming is the conscription.

Yesterday a Honduran named ‘Dario’ left a comment on this post at IKN. I sent him a mail and asked him if he’d like to reply giving a bit of information about the situation in his part of the country. I asked him to write in Spanish and that I’d translate. Here below is what he’s just written back to me, faithfully translated. He left me his cellular phone number. I’m not going to publish it here, but if any accredited journalist would like it then send me a mail. Here’s Dario:

Hello and thanks for answering the message. Look, I want to tell you that the situation is still precarious and that the repression from this de facto government led by dinosaurs is getting bigger. Last night (Tuesday night) and a few minutes ago the red dinosaur Michelleti and his cavemen subalterns addressed the nation on all TV and radio stations, giving out totally false information. Of course we know, those of us who are here know the true story. We have no access to communications and the only information presented is that which helps the coupmongers.

I inform you that in communities such as El Progreso, department of Yoro they have ordered forced military recruitment aimed mostly at youths (to use them as a barricade in any confrontation). Also, in the department of Olancho (the biggest in the country and the home territory of Zelaya) they have repressed people who were travelling to the capital in buses, beating them and forcing them off the buses and shooting through the bus tires.

In San Pedro Sula, the place where I live, they have given an order to depose the mayor of the city (who was one of the mayors allied to Zelaya) and have issued an arrest warrant for him. They are trying to replace him with one William Hall (strangely the cousin of Michelleti).

I hope this is useful to you, and anything else I have I’ll inform you. All the same, if you need something send a mail or phone me, my number is open 24/7, (504) 9*******

Yours, Dario

Clearly this is a full on military coup with intent to repress democracy, not as the plotters and their familiars laughably claim ‘democratic‘. And while the Whitehouse has been fairly good on this in public statements, other elements in the Empire’s apparatus particularly military and intelligence must have been aware and approved this coup. It would only be polite of Gen. Romeo Orlando Vásquez Velásquez to let his former SOA tutors know (is there a struggle in Washington, or is Obama again saying one thing while doing business as usual? Either way the near unanimous condemnation of the coup promises a chance for a better outcome than in the past). However Roberto Micheletti & the military are doing what they have been trained/know best. From SOA Watch

– The people are resisting, beginning to take the streets, block the roads
– dozens of buses of people coming to the capital from other parts of the country
– over 10,000 people gathered yesterday in the Honduran capital Tegucigalpa to protest the illegal military coup, and they were violently dispersed by the military, using tear gas and guns (not clear if rubber bullets or otherwise). More protests are planned for today.
– There are wounded and dead, but numbers are still unclear
– our friends in Honduras have been to hospitals and have documented some cases
– THE OFFICIAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION AND THE FISCAL (ATTORNEY GENERAL) ARE REFUSING TO DOCUMENT THE ABUSES, AND ARE SUPPORTING THE COUP GOVERNMENT. COFADEH ASKS THAT WE DENOUNCE THESE OFFICIALS AS NOT FULFILLING THEIR DUTY AS DEFENDERS OF HUMAN RIGHTS. THEY ARE RAMON CUSTODIO, DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION AND SANDRA PONCE, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
– A new cabinet was named by the coup leaders, and they tried to bring them to be sworn in at the presidential palace, but lights were cut and phone lines downed, and this did not take place.
– Two army battalions have declared that they will not be loyal to the coup government
– A crew from TELESUR was detained and beaten, but released, after international public pressure
– Electricity is constantly being cut off, then comes again
– Censorship of the t.v. media, only channels of rightwing media being shown
– Coup govenrment is using well-known human rights abusers and their spokespersons
– Strike of schools and workers taking place

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7 Responses to “Eyewitness in Honduras”

I just got another mail from Dario which i’ll translate and put up later. He says that despite getting the tires shot out the buses, the protestors are now arriving in the capital and there’s going to be a big big march later today, despite the curfew and threat of repression.

Thanks for that Otto, I’ll always make sure to give props to the mighty IKN! And yeah, the important stuff of life, what we are all here for really, but still, you have a generous attitude and that is much respected here.

And please pass on support to Dario, hoping times are changing and this coup will fail.